US shopping mall bans the Net

Don't even mention the evil e-commerce

A shopping mall in the US has banned all references to the Internet and e-commerce for fear of losing sales. Not only are retailers up in arms that they can't cross-promote their .com sites, some are refusing to abide by the draconian measures and are openly flouting the regulation, ABCNews.com reported. Gap, FAO Schwartz and the Bombay Company are among a number of retailers that have reportedly complained about the clampdown to executives at Hycel Partners, the company that owns the St Louis Galleria. But the mall's owners are insistent that the ban stays. "Our primary interest is to maximise local store sales in our mall," Hycel president, Mark Zorensky said in a statement, warning that ecommerce advertising would "route sales away" from the shopping centre. The St Louis Galleria is believed to be the only mall in the US to have taken such a stand. ®